Compound Sacrifice
by Kuro Tenka
Summary: Ritsuka is given a writing task from his shrink about his brother and starts to remember. When he goes to the sight of his last memory he gets a letter that will trigger a sequence of events leading to a well hidden secret, who really killed Seimei? SXRXS


**Seimei/Ritsuka/Soubi**

**Ritsuka is given a writing assignment by his shrink about his brother and he starts to remember his past. When he goes to the sight of his latest memory a girl appears with a letter that will trigger a squence of events leading up to a well hidden secret, **

**Who really killed Seimei?**

**Compound Sacrifice**

Chapter One

**Wake Up Little Kitten**

The scrawl sound of a pen racing across paper was cut off as Ritsuka lost the rest of his sentence. He muttered something about stupid, random thoughts and tried to pick up on his nest point by reading the beginning of his sentence, only to find that he had written the same thing fifteen times. _'I might as well just scrap it and rewrite it on a new sheet.'_

So saying Ritsuka ripped it out of his notebook and began to copy down the useful script. He had been at it for three hours now, this assignment was pointless, and it wasn't even for school. Katsuko-sensei had requested he do it requested, meaning he didn't have to. But here he was, still trying to put words to paper, all because she had said this might help him to remember _him_ better. His onii-san. He was supposed to write about one event that had happened in the past that had to do with Seimei. More specifically something they had done together.

The memory was simple and only half there but that was fine, or so sensei had said. It drove him nuts not knowing, but at the same time he couldn't help but feel like he was better off not knowing what had happened in the past. He felt as if he would loose a part of himself if he did know, like the past would change him once again, only this time for the worst. Regardless he didn't think his past would come back to him through normal means so he really shouldn't be worrying about something he couldn't control.

Looking down he realized that he had once again written the sane thing repeatedly. He sighed and ripped out the page to copy the good work onto a new sheet. A half hour of scratching past and a thunk was suddenly heard. Ritsuka had fallen asleep head down at his desk. As he slept the words from the paper floated into his head and the memory became whole.

_He was running as fast as his little legs could take him with his pursuer at his heels. Any minute now and the older man would catch up. His legs pumped harder and he sped up not seeing the large tree branch in his way. He tripped and his assailant, not missing a beat, fell on him covering Ritsuka with his much larger body._

_"Seimei I can't breathe, move please." Ritsuka's melodic voice was muffled slightly under the bulk of his older brother's form. He thought he could hear his aniki chuckle but wasn't sure. Suddenly he felt warm air on his right ear and his onii-san's voice was close, rubbing against his cheek._

_"What if I don't want to, what if I like it up here and decide I want to stay like this?" Ritsuka's cheeks grew red at the comment and he began to struggle._

_"N-nani!" He wiggled and squirmed trying to get out from underneath his sibling with no real hope of escape. His brother placed a gentle hand between his ears and Ritsuka stilled instantly._

_"I'll let you up Suka on one condition." He waited for the body under him to nod before continuing. "You have to…" He trailed off then bent again to whisper the rest in Ritsuka's ear. Seimei could feel the heat radiating off the younger body from his blush and had to stifle a chuckle._

_"M-master please l-let me up." Ritsuka was shaking slightly but Seimei just shook his head._

_No good Ritsuka, you'll have to do better then that." Now his otouto was visibly shaking but he knew the younger would press on._

_"M-master, if it's n-not too much t-trouble c-could you p-please remo-ove your body f-from m-mine?" Seimei rolled over then hoisted Ritsuka up and into his lap._

_"No" He said as he began to stroke Ritsuka's ears. His otouto looked confused for a second then seemed to understand. Seimei had gotten off him, but he was still touching Ritsuka. The kitten smiled and snuggled into his most trusted and cherished person's arms. His beloved brother._

_"Ritsuka who do you love most in the whole world?" Seimei asked as he proceeded to lye down on his back pulling Ritsuka on top of him._

_"Aniki, I love you the most, you should always be loved." Seimei smiled but repeated the last words slowly._

_"Be loved," He whispered. There was silence for a few moments then Seimei abruptly turned his head and blew in Ritsuka's ear._

_"Hey!" Ritsuka cried out a second before he was dumped on the ground._

_"I'll race you back to the house." Seimei waited for Ritsuka to climb to his feet then took off, jumping over the branch before looking back._

Ritsuka bolted up right panting, looking around wildly. He took deep breaths then looked down to see his notebook in his lap. Well it appeared that he had the rest of his story, he would just have to edit it a little for Katsuko-sensei, there was only so much he felt she needed to know.

So forty-five minutes later Ritsuka dropped not a second after he'd finished. He got up and walked to his bed, he didn't bother to change – it wasn't like Seimei was there to make him anyway. Ritsuka froze. _'How did I suddenly know Seimei made me change into pajamas every evening?' He thought for a second. 'Seimei tucked me into bed that night after we got home from the park. I was dirty so he had me take a shower then set out cloths for me. The pants were mine but the shirt was his, I loved the way he smelled so I made up any excuse possible to get something he wore in my room at night. When I had his scent, I would forget about the monsters.'_

_As he lay in bed tears came to his eyes, he was starting to remember._

School was rather uneventful if you could ignore the fact that all the memories made him want to cry again. They were poring back in a flood and not all of them were about Seimei. The latest had been about Soubi.

_Seimei held the hand of a seven year old Ritsuka as he walked down the street towards the sweet snow shop. Ritsuka was smiling happily as they reached the doors and entered. They approached the counters and Ritsuka waited patiently for his brother to ask which flavor he wanted._

_"Plum please." Seimei smiled, it seemed to the little Ritsuka that Seimei became happy quickly when he waited to speak until Seimei asked him, He guessed his brother liked to be in control, he didn't mind, he loved his aniki._

_"One large plum sweet snow and one medium green apple." Ritsuka grinned up at his onii-san. Seimei led him over to a table with a person already seated at it but didn't put the sweet snow down. "Ritsuka this is a friend of mine, his name is Soubi. I brought you here today to meet him." The Soubi guy seemed surprised to meet him but quickly rose and bowed._

_"It is a pleasure to meet you Ritsuka." Ritsuka didn't think twice about bowing back, it was common courtesy after all._

_"Hello, I'm Ritsuka it's nice to meet you too. Where did your ears and tail go?" He asked and leaned over past Seimei as if looking to see if the tail was simply hiding from him._

_"Ah…" Soubi was speechless, what do you say to a seven year old who wants to know what happens to your ears when you grow up? He was about to spew some excuse about not being able to tell children, when his sacrifice did something he never could have expected from the cold man._

_"Magic marker." Seimei replied off handedly and took the chair on the inside across form an astonished Soubi. "Honestly Suka it was an accident."_

_"Seimei you're so bad with those things!" Okay now Soubi was lost. "But how did you get all three."_

_"It was a slip of the hand, I got one ear first and while I was trying to see if I could get it off I caught his tail. Needless to say it wouldn't come off and we just had to do the rest of the ear and tail to match. Then he only had one ear and that looked kind of odd so we did that one too. Really it was a catastrophe."_

_Ritsuka brought his hand up and slapped his forehead. "Oh aniki!"_

_"I know." Seimei said dismally as he passed Ritsuka his sweet snow finally._

_"What were you doing with the marker anyway onii-san?" Ritsuka said exasperatedly, which was truly adorable given his age and the conversation coupled with who he was talking to._

_"I have, no, idea." Seimei responded throwing his hands in the air in mock aghast._

Now he would have to go out there and face Soubi, how could he act normal around his fighter – the man who always seemed to know him so well? He didn't feel normal, so how was he supposed to act normal, he was lost. He was embarrassed, he was confused, his mind was racing and his heart ached with the memories. He missed his aniki.

Still he found himself following Youiko and Yayoi out the school doors and swiftly approaching the gate. And there at the edge of the concrete wall he could see a mop of golden locks, and Soubi was smoking, again.

"Soubi! What have I told you," Soubi looked up innocently as Ritsuka snatched the cigarette out of his mouth. "Don't smoke in front of my school!" Ritsuka screamed exasperatedly.

"Gomen." Soubi said softly.

"Let's go." Ritsuka could see Youiko and he didn't want her to catch up to them, not right now. He was flustered enough right now.

"Ritsuka, where are we going?" Soubi asked after we had been walking in a random direction for at least ten minutes. Ritsuka just shook his head and kept walking. Five minutes later he was standing in front of a sweet snow shop, he reached for the door, and stepped in.

Soubi was right behind him and he could tell the parlor had a profound effect on him. Ritsuka stepped up to the counter to order. "One large plum sweet snow and a medium green apple." As he picked up the order form the counter Soubi's eyes grew big, Ritsuka could guess what he was thinking. Same place, same order. And Soubi didn't eat sweet snow – he preferred ice cream.

Ritsuka walked over to the same table in his memory and sat down. There was no mistaking it now, it was an actual memory, it had really happened. Soubi's face proved it. He set the green apple snow across form him, where Seimei had sat, Soubi took the seat next to the snow and his eyes were fixed on the glass. Ritsuka lifted a spoon full of his snow and ate it.

In the next moment something profound happened. Someone sat in Simei's seat, and proceeded to eat his sweet snow. The woman had the most beautiful lilac colored hair that caught on her moist lips and followed the ice into her mouth. She lifted her hand and used her nails to pull the hair from her lips. She looked up and smiled her exotic rose eyes seemed to bloom when they met his. They were bloody around the pupils and like petals they parted to become lighter toward the outside.

She was a glorious figure, but not perfect. Her hair was so long it brushed the floor from the seat and he knew it to be horrible maintenance, the seats were, after all, up raised. She was shorter then Ritsuka and her limbs were smaller, if not more graceful. Her breasts were bigger then Youiko's! Through all of this Ritsuka noticed her posture was incredible and wondered why.

She reached down into the bag at her side and pulled out a thick parchment letter. She placed it delicately next to Ritsuka's snow before quickly withdrawing her hand, as if afraid to be touched.

She then picked the small spoon back up and continued to eat the snow. Ritsuka looked down at the envelope studying the eloquent and familiar scrawl. He picked it up and turned it over, a wax seal kept it closed and as he reached down to break it the paper was snatched away. He looked up to see the letter once again by his sweet snow.

Ritsuka's eyes flickered to his guest whom was being stared down by Soubi, she however was looking at him. She shook her head then gestured toward the letter. Apparently he wasn't supposed to open it. "Why can't I read it, it has my name on it, it's addressed to me."

Her thin fingers pointed to the now exposed seal and tapped it lightly. Ritsuka studied it for a moment then shook his head. "Beloved." Her overly soft voice rang out.

Ritsuka blinked confusedly at Soubi then questioned her. "What?"

A quiet sigh passed from her lips as she answered. "Each being from seven moons has their own seal, or rather each team. This is the seal of Beloved, meaning someone from team Beloved sent it to you. You have Soubi here so quite obviously this was sent by the other half."

"But that's not possible." Ritsuka exclaimed.

"Seimei gave me this letter years and years ago, long before he died and I had a master. He gave it to me the night he first saw your name." She responded in her dreamy voice.

"Master? Then you're a fighter?" Ritsuka was surprised; she didn't look like s fighter.

"Correct, I am a fighter unit, not that it has any real importance to you. Now that Seimei is dead there is no reason I should ever have to fight you." She smiled and Ritsuka found it comforting.

"You said he gave you the letter the night he first saw Ritsuka's name, when was this?" Soubi finally spoke up and the woman's attention was drawn to his fighter.

"Yeah and where is it." She blinked widely at Ritsuka.

"What?" The look on Soubi's face was mirroring the tone in the girl's voice.

"I still don't know where my name is on my body." Both Soubi and the woman burst out laughing.

"You lost me for a second. If you don't know where you name is then its your fighter who is to find it for you." She paused and cleared her throat. "As for your question Soubi, yes the very night Seimei saw Ritsuka's true name he composed this letter and gave it to me to give to him. I believe that Ritsuka was four at the time so this was ten years ago."

Before Soubi could ask something else Ritsuka piped up again. "What's your name?" She drew a deep breath before answering.

"Which one my given name, or my true name?" Ritsuka didn't miss a beat.

"Both." She nodded as if she expected it.

"My given name is Muzsa Bastian, my true name is sinless."

"Sinless…" Ritsuka whispered.

"One without sin, I am faultless in a battle. I can't lose as long as I can speak. I manipulate words at such a fast rate that it is rare my opponent can ever cast more then three spells." She said informatively.

"What's it like being sinless, having a master with the same name?" Muzsa smiled sadly.

"I can feel his every emotion, when he calls I hear, even if I don't want to. It's painful, knowing what he's feeling but not what he'll do. And when I'm away, to feel his fear, his pain, and not be able to help." Her soft voice was small when she said, "You can feel no greater pain, then to disappoint your other half so acutely that they don't want to be near you. The feeling accompanied to having your master send you away…it could shatter your soul."

Muzsa said this last part in such a severe and sincere voice that Ritsuka could make no comment. He glanced over and saw Soubi was giving her a sorrowful and pitying look. It only took Ritsuka a moment to realize that Soubi understood how he felt and wondered if Seimei had ever sent Soubi away. Ritsuka froze, how many times had _he_ sent Soubi away? Was that how he felt?

"How long have you known your sacrifice?" Soubi's voice was solemn.

"I first found him when I was six, but I didn't know what he was to me until half a year later, by then I was seven. The day he told me, he was crying. A bond was formed that day that was so intense, I passed out. When I woke up he was sitting in his office at seven moons, cradling me in his arms." Suddenly she was smiling dreamily she hardly seemed to be with them anymore. "He told me when my eyes opened that I was sinless. He asked if I knew what that meant. I told him I didn't. He said it meant I could never be judged as long as I was by his side, together we were sinless. We could do no wrong."

In less than five minutes she had named the good and the bad about a shared name. In her view it was gray, good and bad, not just white as the other teams would have him believe. He didn't know if he was happy or sad.

"Regardless," Muzsa cleared her throat here. "Don't open the letter until you get home." She stood up to leave and Ritsuka realized she had finished the sweet snow.

"Oh and Ritsuka," She looked at him over her shoulder. "Having another person share the same name as you, it's both a blessing and a pain that you will _never_ know." Her eyes became sad. "I'm not sure how you should feel about that."

Muzsa swept out of the shop with such grace that for a moment he almost believed she was sinless. Ritsuka let his fingers slide over the thick wax seal he rose leaving the melted snow on the table and headed out the door. As he stepped outside into the crisp air Ritsuka turned to Soubi.

"Leave Soubi, go home." Ritsuka turned around to see Soubi preparing to argue but Ritsuka didn't want to hear it. Leaning up Ritsuka sealed his lips to Soubi's. He could feel Soubi's surprise as he wiggled his tongue into the older mans mouth. Soubi gasped when Ritsuka slid his tongue on his. Ritsuka pulled back too numb to blush.

"Go home Soubi, I promise I'll see you tomorrow." Ritsuka whispered against Soubi's lips before flitting away.

Ritsuka's room was clean all except for the bandages that littered the floor. He had come home to be greeted by his homicidal mother with a cleaver in her hand. She swung only seconds after he opened the door and he was lucky to have only the injury he did. However his ear was nicked when he tried to dodge at the last minute.

Finally he was sitting on the floor with his back with his back to his bed his fingers poised to open the letter. He let them pull at the smooth wax then picked it off carefully to keep the wax from breaking. He pulled the letter open and removed to message.

_Ritsuka,_

_It is unfortunate that this is the only way for me to speak with you on this matter. Loveless, your name by fate, is very special. Never let anyone tell you other wise. Your name does not mean one without love as I'm sure you've heard. Quite the opposite actually, Loveless means that you are not burdened or blinded by love. You are immune to all the negative aspects of love such as believing the one you love to be perfect._

_Unfortunately that means it's harder for you to love other people. It also makes you a fierce opponent as you can easily see the faults in others, and thus their weaknesses. You are a fighter Ritsuka, you can cast spells. Use them as you will however I encourage you to choose your words wisely. On my computer there is an online English-Japanese dictionary; look up and word you need then simply mean them when you say them. Good luck my Beloved little otouto._

_, Aniki_

Ritsuka was crying as he reread the end of the letter again. Seimei had called him Beloved. His mourning was disrupted by his mother's frantic crying and the breaking of glass throughout the house. Ritsuka rose numbly and walked over to the computer; he logged in and found the program on the desk top. He opened it and typed in two words glancing over the options he saw the right pair.

"_Tranquil Silence._" Ritsuka said in a stony voice. Abruptly the noise faded into nothing and Ritsuka's eyes gained a strange light.

He let his body fall onto his bed and he knew that everything was changing. His whole being sank into the sheets in slumber. As the waters of unconsciousness enveloped him a voice rang in his head.

"_Wake up Little Kitten."_


End file.
